Switch-thrower



. (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet I.

J. G. SIEBER.

SWITCH THROWER. 1

No; 531,473. Patented Dec. 25, I894.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets- Sheet 2.

J. G. SIEBER.

SWITGH THROW-ER.

'No. 531,473. Patented Dec. 25,1894.

m: NORRIIS PETERS co, woruwmcv, WASHINGTON n c.

UNITED STAT-Es PAT NT OFF CE.

John G. sIEBER, on LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY.

SWITCH-THROWIER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 531,473,dated December 25, 1894.

Application filed October 1, 1894.

' ville, in the county of Jefferson and State of y belonging.

Kentucky, have invented a new and useful Improved Switch-Thrower, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is that of an appliance to be used on street cars, to setor throw the switch,

by means of levers which the driver or motor man can handle without leaving the car. The levers work on pressure wheels attachedto the cars, and these work upon bell cranks at-- tached to the track. These through an intermediate rod and second bell crank work upon the switch tongue, setting it in the straight line when the pressure wheel on one side comes down (the left hand-side in the drawings), and throwing it into the curve when the other pressure wheel comes down. I attain this object by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in

Figure 1, is the ground plan of the track, the switch and stationary appliances thereto Fig. 2, is a side elevation of one rail with the stationary appliances, the other difli'ering only in that the rear bell crank is set somewhat farther back. Fig. 3, is a horizontal plan of the frame and running gear of the car, as far as material to my invention. Figs. 4 and 5, are side elevations of the car (embracing the parts material to my invention), Fig. 4., from the left hand, Fig. 5, from the right hand side.

I givethe track device shown in the drawings only as an illustration of one that may be worked by my car device; said track device being my invention, for which I expect to aska patent hereafter; but my car device can be operated with any other track device having vertical slides for receiving the pressure.

The same letters in all the figures refer to the same parts.

The tops of the rails are marked A. A., the side parts of the rails B. B., the switch tongue A. In Fig. 2 0 represents a guard rail of the height of the rail top set on the outside of the sliding pivot to keep the passing wagons from injuring it. In a slotof the outer side of the rail the sliding pivot F, with a slanting upper Serial No. 524,601. (No model.)

surface, is set; which receives the impact of a pressure wheel from the passing car. There is one of these on the outside of each rail,- as is 5 5 see'n inFig. 1, where the two are marked F and F Fig. 2, shows the dotted lines F, which F, assumes when depressed. It connects by the pin L with the rear bell crank, which when F is depressed takes the dotted line position. This bell crank is fastened by the pin H, round which it can turn, to the block M, which is rigidly fasten'ed on the outside to the narrow bottom part of the rail by the post K. The forward corner of the bell crank is by a pin connected with the intermediate rod I, which connects in like manner by a pinat q with the'forward bell crank G. The plan of the rear bell crank F, is vertical, that of G, is horizontal. The latter is fastened by a pin, which allows it to turn, at H to two rigidly fixed horizontal plates, P. P., and at its other corner at r the shaft E, (inclosed in the sheath D,) is hinged to it. When the bell crank is pulled by the intermediate rod, it runs into the dotted lines G; and then the shaft E attached to it, draws G on the other side of the trackalso into the dotted lines G and the intermediate rod I on this other side pulls the rearward bell crank J into a position such as J first men-- .tioned'has before depression, and which in Fig. 2 is marked by solid lines, and J then pushes up the sliding piyot F on its own side. A pressure on F is in like manner transferred to the opposite side.

The switch tongueA' is attached by a vertical pin running in a slot of its sheath, to the shaft E, and takes its position in the straight line or in the curve, according as the shaft moves in one or the other direction.

0. on the lower side of Fig. 1, is a casing to protect the working partson that side. A similar casing should be placed on the other side.

These are all the stationary appliances. Of course there may. be aswitc'h tongue to the left, which will be worked in like manner except that pushing it leftward throws it into the, curve, and pulling it rightward straightens it.

Fig. 3 shows the car on the track at the mo- :00

ment when the pressure is to be applied. R. B., are the axles of the car wheel. T. T., T. T. are the car wheels. 10 and p are the side pieces of the truck. is 10 is the frame of the car; Q, its front platform; I) b b b, the supports of the frame, and so far it is only the ordinary street car. On the platform are the two lever arms d and 6 both near together to the right of the driver; moving in a frame a, a, and which can be kept at rest by the catches 17 ,0. These levers are preferably so arranged, that one of them, e. g., 11 (at the right hand,) is worked by pushing, the other by pulling. One of the lever arms (say (1 which is on the right), is hinged at its lower end to a horizontal lever X which is when at rest, held down by the spring f but when the arm is pushed lifts that spring and the forward end at of the lever V which is attached sidewise to that spring; and thus depresses the lower or rear end of the lever which bears the wheel U hearing it down (as shown in Fig. 5), into the position of the dotted lines. When 01 is not pushed, the spring f holds it in its backward position. The two springs also keep the pressure wheels at a sufficient height above the track when not in use. The other lever arm (say e,0n the left), hinges at its lower end with the pitman Y, which is hinged to the crank Z, attached to the shaft S, which revolves in hubs, laid across the truck; and at its other end two small jointed lever bars 1' and \V connect by the pin '21, with the upper end of the lever V which turns round the pivot j. The upper part being raised, the lower end bears down the pressure wheel U on that side. The two lever arms have catches b 0, by which they can rest in the position into which they are thus pushed or pulled. The lever arm e is held down in its forward position by the spring g which is placed directly upon it. The slight difierence in position between the sliding pivots on the two sides of the track is only for better protection against passing wagons.

The operation of the appliances on the car is necessarily set forth in describing them. The dotted lines in Figs. 3, 4, and 5, show the positions of the levers, springs, &c., when they are not at rest, that is, when the driver or motorman pushes the lever arm d, or pulls the lever arm (2. The operation of the stationary appliances has been set forth in explaining Figs. 1 and 2.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. An appliance on a street car by which the man on the platform can bring pressure on sliding pivots on the sides of the track, parts of a device for the throwing of a switch, the appliance on the car consisting in the main, of two lever arms in front of the motorman or driver, connecting at their lower ends by means of suitable appliances with the levers V, V on the two sides of the car, so as to'deflect alternately the lower arms of these levers, and with them the pressure wheels U U borne on their respective rear or lower ends on the stationary sliding pivots F F one of the lever arms to connect with the lever V on its side directly by jointed lovers, the other to transmit its motion by a revolving shaft S, resting upon the truck of the car; and in connection therewith the springs f and g substantially as shown above, to hold the pressure wheels at a sufficient height above the track when the respective levers are not operated.

2. An appliance on a street car by which the man on the platform can bring pressure on sliding pivots on the sides of the track, parts of a device for the throwing of, a switch, the appliance on the car consisting in the main of two lever arms in front of the motorman or driver, connecting at their lower ends by means of suitable appliances with the levers V, V on the two sides of the car, so as to deflect alternately the lower arms of these levers, and with them the pressure wheels U, U borne on their respective rear or lower ends on the stationary pivots F, F; one of the lever arms to connect with the lever V on its side directly by jointed levers, the other to transmit its motion by means of a revolving shaft S, resting upon the truck of the car.

JOHN G. SIEBER.

\Vitnesses:

LEWIS N. DEMBITZ, FRANK PARDOU. 

